Odisha: A State with an Inclusive Sports Ecosystem, Setting a Benchmark for Global Sports Development
A decade ago, Odisha was often associated with hunger and economic sluggishness. Today, it proudly stands as the sports capital of India, driven by a clear vision backed by infrastructure, sustained investment, and steadily growing public interest. Over the years, the state has built a strong grassroots system, developed world-class stadiums, and successfully hosted major international tournaments. This article takes a closer look at Odisha’s transformational sporting journey and its impact as of 2025.
Building Champions Through Policy Reform
Odisha’s sports budget for the 2024–25 financial year stands at ₹1,315 crore, marking a 34 per cent increase from the previous year. Of this, ₹952 crore has been allocated for stadiums and academies, ₹100 crore for sports schemes, and ₹65 crore for direct athlete support. This significant financial commitment underlines the state’s long-term intent to make sports a core pillar of development.
The government has launched initiatives such as Yuva Shakti Yojana for youth development and Khela Ratna Khoja Abhiyaan, aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent at an early stage. For structured talent development, Odisha conducts wide scouting tournaments in collaboration with associated partners to identify and polish promising athletes, ensuring that raw talent is not lost due to lack of opportunity.
Several districts now house Khelo India Centres (KICs), operating under the Sports Authority of India. These centres ensure better access to national-level coaching, scientific training methods, and quality facilities, especially for athletes coming from rural and semi-urban backgrounds.
Infrastructure That Fuels Sporting Success
The construction of sports stadiums across all 314 blocks of Odisha has been a crucial step in strengthening grassroots participation. These stadiums feature football and cricket fields, athletics tracks, volleyball, kabaddi, and kho-kho courts, along with indoor halls for badminton, table tennis, and gymnastics. This uniform spread of infrastructure has ensured that access to sporting facilities is no longer restricted to urban centres alone.
Odisha is also developing high-performance centres, including the OPTCL Sports Arena in Bhubaneswar and the Dhenkanal Sports Complex, aimed at enhancing both community engagement and elite athlete performance. These centres are designed not just for training but also for creating sporting ecosystems around them.
The state already boasts world-class venues such as the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, the largest seated hockey stadium in the world, and the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, renowned for hosting major hockey and athletics events. These venues have helped position Odisha as a preferred destination for international competitions.
Unlocking Rural Talent: Odisha’s Grassroots Vision
In a landmark initiative, Odisha introduced the first edition of the Chief Minister’s Trophy, a multi-sport competition designed to discover and promote grassroots talent in football, hockey, athletics, and badminton. The tournament progresses from zonal to state level, significantly increasing competitiveness among thousands of young athletes and offering them a clear pathway to higher levels.
While Odisha has always produced talent, the lack of facilities and exposure remained a major challenge for decades. The year 2018 proved historic when the state took responsibility for reviving Indian hockey. By hosting the 2018 and 2023 Hockey World Cups and investing heavily in promotion and development, Odisha played a key role in restoring India’s hockey legacy on the global stage.
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The year 2020 marked a further shift from event-centric development to infrastructure-led rural development, with sports reaching even the remotest corners of the state. This ensured that participation, not just performance, became the foundation of Odisha’s sports policy.
Odisha has also taken up the national sponsorship of the Indian Kho-Kho team, in addition to its continued support of the Indian hockey teams. The state has shown notable improvement across disciplines such as athletics, badminton, football, kho-kho, and weightlifting, reflecting the depth of its sporting ecosystem.
The tribal communities of Odisha form the backbone of this sporting success, consistently producing strong athletes in hockey, athletics, and archery. Focused outreach and inclusion have ensured that traditional sporting strengths are nurtured rather than overlooked.
National & International Tournaments Hosted in Odisha (2025)
International Tournaments: World Athletics Continental Tour (Bronze Level), Asian Table Tennis Team Championships, BWF Odisha Masters Super 100.
National Tournaments: 40th National Junior Athletics Championships, 71st Senior National Kabaddi Championships, 4th National EMRS Sports Meet.
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While Odisha has undoubtedly emerged as a major sporting hub in India, the state is yet to consistently produce high-quality individual athletes at the international level. Apart from hockey, Odia athletes have not made a significant mark in the Olympic arena so far.
However, Odisha remains in a transformative phase. With its strong policy framework, massive infrastructure push, and deep grassroots focus, the results are expected to emerge in the near future. The state’s journey from a domestic sporting ground to a global sports hub has well and truly begun, setting an example for sports-led development not just in India, but worldwide.
